A panel to celebrate Jerusalem: The Capital of Arab Culture.
In cooperation with the Palestinian (PNA) Ministry of Culture

22 October 2009

The Bethlehem Hotel, Bethlehem

Engineer ‘Adnan Al-Husseini, Governor of Jerusalem and Researcher Khalil Al-Tufakji,
Director of the Map Division in the Orient House, participated in a panel which
was moderated by Mr. Mousa Darwish, Deputy Director of Al-Liqa’ Center. Leading
religious, public, academic and social personalities attended the event.

Mr. Al-Husseini focused on the dangers facing Jerusalem due to Israeli
aggression against Muslim and Christian holy places and destruction of homes as
well as the Judaization policies that Israel practices in Jerusalem.

The Governor of Jerusalem praised the people of the city and their
steadfastness in the face of these practices calling in the process Palestinian,
Arab and international solidarity stressing that this way Israel will not
succeed in Judaizing the city or uprooting Palestinians from within the walls of
the old city. In addition, he asked for Arabic and Islamic support in order to
build housing projects for young people, to protect Palestinian institutions in
the city as well as to establish a fund to support construction of homes in the
city and to support investment in it.

Mr. Al-Tufakji called for the establishment of a fund to purchase homes and
to invest in the areas next to Jewish settlements. He stressed the dire need for
political directions and a strategic plan to face the expansion of colonial
settlement blocs in Jerusalem.

An in-depth question and answer session followed. The audience reiterated the
need for a national plan to protect and to defend Jerusalem and to make
available support for the people and institutions of the city in their
confrontation of Israeli policies of destruction of Palestinian properties, the
uprooting of its children and the closing of its institutions.